Air valve



June 10, 1930. w. J. RUDOLPH f@1R VALVE Filed Jan. 50, 1926 Fig is a section Patented June 10, 1930 y UNITED STATES NP.ljii'rnilwT NOFFICE 'WALTER J. nnnorrnyor cIIIoAGoILLINoIs, AssIGnon ro uns. r. MARSH a CoM- PANY; or cHIcnGo, ILLINOIS,` A coRPonA'rIoN or ILLINOIS I AIR VALVE Application led January 30, 1926. j Serial No. 84,888.

t I, the production of devices Vof the kind described,which are" simple in construction,

convenient, compact, durable, efficient and `Asatisfactory for use `wherever found applicable.

I,I..10 articular .objects of the invention are to provide devices O f thekind describedwhich f have improved meansfor preventing leakage `of steam therefrom; which Vhave improved Iineans for guiding` the Hoats thereof;` which ljhaveimproved means forl mounting them @upon radiators or the like;` which have im- `provedmeans for, loosely holding tubes pro-` `ljectingfrom them, and which have improved means; for supporting the floatsthereof. I

,20 Many other objects and advantages of the construction` herein shown and described will beobvious to those skilled in the art from the j dislosure herein given. j j

To this end my mventlon consists in the n `25 novel construction,arrangement and combination of `partshereln shown and1 described,

. claims. j

ands more particularly pointed out in the 1 In thel drawings, whereinl likef reference .30

charactersI`` indicate like `"or y ycorresponding I "parts: I

ig.` lisan elevationl ofanpair, valve em- .bod'yingthe Invention;` I

Fig. 2is a plan view of the improvedvalve; j -35 j ,4 ig. 3 is a sectiontaken on line of Fig.'2;` Il U I L l is 1a section taken online of `5 section taken fon line 5--5` of Fig. 3.; and .I

takenon line of valveuadapted to; be used `in Steam heating systems or the equivalent, valves of this char- V acter being generally mounted upon radiaftors'forminglparts of such systems. The "im-` proved valve .preferably comprisesa hous- Ig aj 'imag e reared er a Snell 10 Closed at its lower endby a capIll. l The shell is preferably provided with an aperture 14 at its upper end intowhich atubular member l5 is screwthreaded, a knurled nut 16 Screwthreaded upon the tubular member being adapted to lock it in a plurality of adjusted positions `upon rthe shell. The nut 16 is preferably provided with an annular recess 181 adapted to accommodate packing 19 which may be formed of any suitable material, but is preferably a ring of relatively soft metal. Vhen Vthenut 16 `is` manipulated to lock the tubular member in an adjusted position upon the shell 10, the packing 19 engages theshell and is slightly compressed to seal the joint betweenthe shell andthe tubular member.

The passage extending through the tubular member 15 is designated by the reference character 21 andis provided with a valve seat 22 atits lower end. A Ivalve 23 carried by a float 24 is adapted to engage the valve seat 22 to close the assage 21. The float 24 is substantially cy indrical in form and preferably contains aquantity of volatile liquid `which lwill expand when steam enters the shell 10 and cause the valve 23` to engage the valve seat 22. j The loat 24 is free to move longitu- I dinally inthe shell 10 but is preferably guided in this movement by inwardly projecting ribs 26 formed integral with the shell.

A stamping or member 28 disposed in the cap 11 normally supports the float 24 and is itself supported upon an annular shoulder 29 formed the cap. IAS best shown in Fig. 3, thel member 2,8 is formed `with an upwardly extending arcuate portion 30 upon which the float 24 is adapted to rest, the iioat 24 being preferably formed with a fiat or slightly concave bottom. This constructioninsuresthat theiloat will not adhere to the member 28 and that it `will float into a position wherein the valve 23 engages the valve seat 22 when an undesirable amount of water f accumulates within the shell. Lugs 32 and 33 formed im `tegral with the member 28 and depending therefrom are provided for looselyI holding" a tube 34 in its correct position, the tube 34 passing through an aperture 37 formed in the j lug 33` and being provided with an enlarged or expanded head 38 at its inner end to pre-` tube 34 will assume its correct position whenl inserted in a radiator as the tube loosely fits the aperture 37. v .v

TheV tube 34 projects through ai screw-l threaded nipple 40 projecting from the cap l1, the nipple 40 being adapted to be threaded into the wall or a radiator or the like toA mount the improved valve upon the radiator.

VThe external diameter of the tube 34 is preferably lless than the internal diameter ofthe nipple 40, this 'construction permitting the tube 34 to discliarg'ewater from the casing veven thoughtlie casing is sealed at the top and steam is entering the casing through the nipple40. C Y T Y, i

The nipple 40 is preferably provided with a portiony 42 of reduced diameter adapted to seat in an aperture 44 formed in the cap l1,

the portion' 42 being flattened `as at 45 toengage affiattened portion 46 of the wall of ,thevapertura This prevents the nipple 40Y "from rotatingrelativeto thev cap. In practice, Ipreterably rivet over the inner end. of

the portion 42, as indicated at 47,`so that the nipple is rigidly secured to the cap; Y

, Briefly,vv the operation of the above de-f scribe/d device is substantially as follows:

.ielissum-ingl that the improved valveV isy mounted upon a radiator in the' usual manner and that steam is permitted toy enter theradiator,

the steam will cause the airin'the radiator to ow'into the. improved device by way of the ynipple 40.V This airvdischaiges, through :the

2l. After the air hasV been dis.VV

' Ving a housing, 'a floattherein, 'a member stampedffrom metal and having'an upwardly passage .charged from thev radiator', steam enters the l casing. and causesthe. volatile'fliquidin the float 24' tol expand, whereupon the yvalve 23 lengages the valve seat 22 and closes the passage 21.t Also, itwpate'r enters lthe casing, the float -risesaiid seals the valve' 23, 'thnsfpre-v v v "iormed 'integral vwith 'said member toV guide y and limit the ,movement-'0f the tube,'anda nippleor. attaching said-device lto a radiator,

ventingrwater'fi'om"escaping into theroiiin.v i Having thus described my invention, itis obvious that .various immaterial'- modificai tionsY may `be made 'in`r thefsame withoutv de# Vparting fromthe spirity of my y invention; n hence' Ido not'wish to be understood as limit-V ingmyseljf tothe 'eXact Vform, construction, arrangement'and combination oi partsherein shown and describedo'ry uses mentioned. 'l

Y' W hat Iv claiin'as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.' `VA device offthe an aperture', and a tube loosely Vmounted f tion.

. l class .describe'diiic'lud-'p ingVA a housinga` float therein, a member stamped `from metal and having ancupwardly Y t extending arcuate portion to'normallyv sup" 'portfsaidfloan meanspforrfsupporting "said" member in ,the` housing, spaced. lugs integral p with, said member, oneof said lugshavingf lof said cap.

said aperture with its inner end adapted for abutting engagement with the other lug to limit the sliding movement of said tube.

' 2. A device of the class described including Va housing, a float therein, a member stamped from metal and havingfaii upward- 'from said member, one of said lugs having Van aperture, and a tube loosely mounted'in said 'aperture with'its inner end adaptedk for abutting' engagement with the otherilug vto vlimit the sliding movement of said tube.

4. A 'fdevicerof the classV` described includ`VV ing a; housing, a float therein,'aV member stamped from; metal and having an upwardly .bulged 'arcuate portion to normally sup- 'port'saidiioau meansfor supporting said member in the housing, spaced lugs integral V vivithfthefmember and dependent therefrom, one ofsaid lugs'having an aperture, and a tubeloosely mounted in saidaperture-with its inner end expandedto'limit the movement of the tube in one direction and the' expanded endot'said tubebeing adapted 'for abutting engagement with the other lug to limit sliding movement of the tube inthe other direc- 5. A deviceofthe class described includport said float, means for supporting said lmember inthe housing, a til-behaving one end positioned beneath said member, spacedlugs said nipple having means'for preventing rotai tion of said device relative thereto.

Gf In ade'vice oftheclassdescribed, the Y combination lof a housing, a cap closing one end of said housing, said caphavinga fluid inlet .and outlet, a iloat located in Vsaid housi' ing, a floatsupp'ort arranged between and supported by said housing and cap, said Yiioat support havingl openings permitting fluid to Ypass and havinga support for'supportin'g a tube lwl'iic'hfcommiinicates' with the interior 7 a d e'vicefV of `the Vclassv described,l the combination of-a housing ,`a cap closi'iigfone end or"l saidzhousingsaid vcapghaving a iiuidv opening, a oat "located in said housing, a"

float support arranged for support between the cap and housing above the fluid opening, said support having means for limiting movement of a tube associated with the cap and having openings whereby fluid may pass from one to the other of said cap and housing.

8. A member adapted to-be associated with a valve having a oat, said member having elements whereby said device may engage the housing for said float to support said member relatively to said housing, said member having openings through which liquid may pass and having means providing a support for a tube which extends from said housing and having means for limiting the inward movement of said `tube relatively to said housing.

9. A device of the class described including a cup shaped base having an interior shoulder, a plate resting upon said shoulder, a downwardly depending part on the plate, having an opening, and a tube mounted in the opening withits inner end flanged outwardly to prevent withdrawal of said tube.

l0. A device of the class described including a cup-shaped base having an interior shoulder, a plate resting upon said shoulder, downwardly depending spaced parts on the plate, one of said parts having an opening, a tube mounted in the opening with its inner end flanged outwardly to limit the outward movement of the tube, the other depending part forming a stop for limiting movementV of the tube inthe other direction.

11. A device of the class described ineluding a cup-shaped base having an interior shoulder, a plate resting upon said shoulder and having its central portion arched, a downwardly depending part on the plate, having an opening, and a tube mounted in the opening with its innerend flanged outw-)rdly to limit outward movement of said tu e.

` In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. y

WALTER J. RUDOLPH. 

